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Gibbs & Cox

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Gibbs & Cox is a U.S. naval architecture firm that specializes in designing surface warships. Founded in 1922 in New York City, Gibbs & Cox is now headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

The firm has offices in New York City; Washington, D.C.; Newport News, Virginia; Philadelphia; and Adelaide, Australia (Gibbs & Cox Australia PTY LTD).[1]

In 2003, more than 150 warships built to the firm's designs, including 60 percent of the U.S. Navy's surface combatant fleet, were on active duty in nearly 20 navies.[2]

History

The firm was founded as "Gibbs Brothers" by self-taught naval architect William Francis Gibbs and his brother Frederic H. Gibbs. The name was changed when architect Daniel H. Cox of Cox & Stevens joined the firm in 1929.[1]

In 1931, Gibbs & Cox designed the MV Savarona, a large luxury yacht.

According to company officials, more than 70 percent of U.S. tonnage launched during World War II was built to Gibbs & Cox designs. Ship types included destroyers, LST landing craft, minesweepers, tankers, cruisers, Liberty Ships, and a variety of conversions.[1][3][4]

In 1950, Gibbs & Cox designed the SS United States, the largest liner ever built in the United States and the fastest liner built anywhere.

Ships Designed by Gibbs & Cox

Among the ship classes designed by Gibbs & Cox are:

Among the individual ships designed by Gibbs & Cox are:

Model shop

Close-up of USS Missouri model built by Gibbs and Cox, on display at the Washington Navy Yard

From 1939 until 1962, the firm operated a model shop that produced high-quality ship models that are considered among "the very finest examples of the steel ship modeler's art ever to be seen."[5] Of these, the most expensive and elaborate was a 1/24-scale cutaway model of the USS Agerholm. This model, which is over 16 feet long, shows the complete inner structure on the starboard, and the exterior on the port.[6]

Another notable model is the USS Missouri as she appeared on September 2, 1945, at 9:02 in the morning, the time of the Japanese surrender. This 1/48-scale ship required 77,000 man-hours to construct, and is as of September 2012 on display at the Navy Museum, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC.[5]

Contracts

References

  1. ^ a b c "History of Gibbs & Cox". Gibbs & Cox, Inc. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Littoral Combat Ship". Lockheed Martin Corporation. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  3. ^ "Gibbs & Cox & World War II". SSUnitedStatesConservancy.og. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  4. ^ "1940s - Maritime Patrol Ships". 100 Years of Accelerating Tomorrow. Lockheed Martin Corporation. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  5. ^ a b "U.S. Navy Model Ships Built by Gibbs & Cox Company". Curator of Navy Model Ships. U. S. Navy, Commander Naval Sea Systems Command. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  6. ^ Warships and Warship Modelling,By David Wooley, William Clarke Naval Institute Press, 200 ISBN 1-59114-928-2, p.56
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